


A Single Slip

by Immicolia



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS
Genre: Gen, Non-Graphic Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-16
Updated: 2018-06-16
Packaged: 2019-05-24 02:39:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,789
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14946041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Immicolia/pseuds/Immicolia
Summary: A single slip is enough  to confirm Aoi's suspicions about Playmaker's identity.





	A Single Slip

**Author's Note:**

> When asking for prompts on Tumblr I was given _"Aoi finds out that Yusaku is Playmaker? Possibly during a really inconvenient time for one or both of them."_ which I answered, and then proceeded to get a few more ideas for. So this is kind of a slightly extended version.

The suspicion his been there since the incident with the virus but has never quite been something Aoi could prove. It was too convenient that Fujiki Yusaku had been the one to find her that day, too out of character for him to wander up to the school's rooftop. Fujiki was the sort to show up to school because he had to and then leave as soon as he could.

After the Tower she tracks him down and thanks him, just to see his reaction. If he knows about her suspicions, there is no indication of it. He simply hands her the food she ordered and brushes her thanks aside, as quiet and impassive as ever.

For a while after that the whole question of Playmaker's identity, and whether or not he and that quiet boy from school are one and the same, falls by the wayside. There are more important things to deal with, mainly assisting her brother with finding out whether or not the Ignises truly are a threat. Something that does bring her into contact with Playmaker more often than not, but in the end his true identity is irrelevant. At least for the moment.

 

Ultimately Soulburner is the one who slips. The one who blurts "Yusaku" as a spear of malicious code slices its way through Playmaker's side and causes him to buckle. Although Aoi is hardly in a position to comment on it, or even think too deeply about the fact that she was likely correct. She is too busy rushing in, bent low on her D-board, and scooping him out of harm's way before another virtual chunk can be taken out of him.

Playmaker(Yusaku) is wheezing, air hissing between his teeth as he painfully gasps for breath. Something that seems so odd if she thinks too hard about the fact that none of this is quite real. A stray, distracting, thought that she forces away. It's all real in its own way. Real and dangerous and she needs to focus. She needs to get the two of them to safety. Then they can discuss this and what exactly it might mean down the line.

She won't sell him out, she decides. Not even to her brother. She can't be quite that callous. He's saved her and now she is returning the favour. He's kept her secrets so if he asks she will keep his.

But that will come later. When they're not avoiding some twisted viral creature that lurks in the depths of virtual space.

After a few tense moments of dodging and weaving she finds a cavern to duck into, all shimmering green and black and suspended in midair. A strange jagged thing that looks almost like a half-finished wireframe but on further inspection is solid enough. And as she sets Playmaker down on its smooth floor his Ignis finally decides to surface, a dark head that pokes up from within his duel disk and lets out a vague hum of worry.

"I'm not going to capture you right now," she says, uncertain if her words will actually put him at ease or not. "I'm not even sure if I could take you without him handing you over himself."

That nearly featureless face scrunches slightly (a frown she assumes), glowing eyes narrowing as he hums some more before replying. "You heard his name, didn't you?"

"I did." It's best to be honest, hopefully that will win him over. "But I won't tell anyone if Playmaker doesn't want me to."

"Why?"

"Because I owe him, I suppose."

Another hum, a somewhat suspicious one this time, and then the Ignis turns his attention to Playmaker and the jagged, glittering, wound in his avatar.

Playmaker's side is a mess of shining red fragments of light that flicker and drift and attempt to knit themselves back together, then violently separate again. His breathing still harsh and uneven and the Ignis in his duel disc cocks his head to the side for a moment before his body begins to warp and twist, transforming from a small humanoid into something monstrous. All jagged teeth and a single glaring eye.

"Ah, sorry about this, Playmaker. I'll try to get the bad code out as quick as I can."

Before Aoi can ask what he means, the strange tendril the Ignis has shaped himself into dives headlong into the wound and Playmaker screams. Something that reminds her a little of a scene from an old horror sci-fi movie she watched once. A bizarre alien creature devouring its way into its victim with a spray of glistening blood.

Except the "blood", such as it is, is slowly changing colour. Shifting from red to the gentle shade of blue that indicates stability in the virtual and as the Ignis retreats back to the duel disc and returns to his original form, the damage in Playmaker's avatar begins to heal.

The Ignis, on the other hand, is doubled over. Almost looking ill as he groans, "Uuuugh. That was bad. Playmaker, you owe me! You owe me so much. You better be nice to me after this!"

Playmaker doesn't stir despite the Ignis' caterwauling, although his breathing has steadied and without thinking Aoi rests the back of her hand against his forehead. It's meaningless, of course. Playmaker is solid but there's no real sense of temperature here, and even if there was it's unlikely that his avatar would show signs of a fever from whatever infection had been seething through it.

"Will he be all right?" she asks, and the Ignis blinks up at her.

"Um. Maybe. Probably. Yes! If he can manage to log out I'm sure he'll be fine. Once we get back to the main network then Ku-- ah! Uh...."

Aoi smiles at the near slip. Another name almost discovered, although it's not quite as important. "I know Playmaker has help on the outside. It's pretty obvious."

"Right! Well, he can make us an exit. Although, maybe Playmaker will wake up soon and we can just leave normally."

Despite his lack of features the Ignis almost looks worried as he says that. As if he's not quite sure but doesn't want to admit to it.

Aoi is about to suggest that she carry Playmaker back to the network proper on her D-board when there's a shout of, "There you are!" from the mouth of the cavern, Soulburner's expression a mixture of panic melting into relief as he steps inside.

"Is he...?"

"He--" Aoi gestures vaguely towards the Ignis, "says that Playmaker will be fine. We need to get him up into Link Vrains proper so he can be logged out though."

"Right." Soulburner crouches at Playmaker's side. About to pick him up when he hesitates and shoots an uncertain glance at Aoi. "I want to say thanks but--"

"I'm not going to tell anyone what I heard. I'm sure you don't trust me...."

"Nah, I believe you." He flashes a grin. "We may not be working together but I don't really think we're entirely opposed either. Things are just... a mess right now."

A faint smile touches Aoi's lips and she nods, helping to steady Playmaker's still unconscious form on Soulburner's D-board as they make their way back to Link Vrains in silence.

 

Fujiki doesn't show up to school for the next two days (nor does Playmaker surface in Link Vrains) and if she hadn't already known he was Playmaker Aoi thinks that this would have put a few more ticks into the "very, very likely" column.

When he does finally show himself he's pale and clearly exhausted. Dozing through class even more than usual, and although she knows he won't appreciate it Aoi approaches him during lunch and says, "I'd like to talk in private. After school, maybe?"

Almost immediately Fujiki's mouth tightens into a thin, hard, line and it's clear that he wants to say no. Although after a moment's thought he gives a sharp nod.

"Meet me by the front doors after classes are over. Although if you take too long I'm leaving without you."

Aoi's head tilts to the side as she studies him and the way every inch of his posture is screaming his annoyance with the situation. Unable to stop herself from saying, "I'd think you'd be trying to get along a little better with me, considering what I know."

"If you were going to say anything to your brother you would have done it by now. We'll have the rest of this discussion later." He puts his head down on the desk, eyes sliding shut, and Aoi isn't sure if he's actually tired and looking to take a nap (although he certainly looks it) or simply looking for a way to decisively end the conversation.

Whatever the reason she nods and moves back to her seat.

 

A few people stare and whisper when they're spotted leaving school together but Fujiki barely blinks. Both of them walking side by side in silence until Fujiki finally stops in a small park and turns to face her, his brow creased by a small frown as he says, "All right. Say what you want to say."

"I don't intend to tell anyone your identity," Aoi begins, her words carefully chosen. "You've never told anyone mine, so it's only fair that I do the same."

"But that's clearly not the reason you want to talk to me."

"No. I want to know why you're so adverse to any sort of help."

"It's not your place to get involved."

"Except I already am," Aoi shoots back, annoyed. "I was involved the moment Hanoi decided to use me to get at you and I have my own reasons to want to know what's going on."

"Your brother." Fujiki's voice is flat and cold and Aoi nods in response.

"All he wants is to find out the truth, whether or not the Ignises are a threat, and I intend to help him. But that doesn't mean we have to be against each other."

"And what if it's discovered that they are a threat?" Fujiki asks, a question that is followed by a muffled noise of concern from inside his schoolbag.

"Are they?"

Fujiki doesn't react to the jab, barely even blinks. He simply studies Aoi's face in silence for a moment before shaking his head and turning away. "There's no point to this. We're not going to agree and I'm not interested in help. Just stay out of it, Zaizen. For your own good."

"Is that a threat?"

He doesn't reply, or even make the slightest acknowledgement that he heard her. He simply continues on his way and Aoi doesn't bother following.

He's right, after all. There's no point to it.


End file.
